UEFA Europa League 2025-26 league-phase draw completed in Monaco

MONTE CARLO, Monaco — The draw for the 2025-2026 UEFA Europa League league phase was completed on Friday at the Grimaldi Forum, setting the fixtures for the 36 teams that will compete in the tournament. Matches in the league phase will run from September through January, with each side playing eight games. The top eight teams in the standings will advance directly to the round of 16, while clubs finishing between ninth and twenty-fourth will enter a play-off round. The bottom twelve sides will be eliminated from European competition. Among the notable pairings, Bayer Leverkusen were drawn against Marseille, Lyon and Salzburg. Juventus will face Real Sociedad, AZ Alkmaar and Hapoel Be'er Sheva, while AC Milan were paired with Benfica, Olympiacos and Salzburg. Lyon's group also includes Leverkusen, Real Sociedad and Crystal Palace, and Marseille will meet Olympiacos, Leverkusen and Celtic.